Bending section of endoscope, endoscope insertion section, and endoscope

Abstract

A bending section of an endoscope includes a first bending piece and a second bending piece in each of which a hole is formed, the first bending piece includes a first groove communicating with the hole and formed toward an outer side of a radial direction, the second bending piece is disposed adjacent to the first bending piece and includes a second groove formed from an outer circumference of the second bending piece toward the hole, and the wire is disposed in the first groove and the second groove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bending section for use with an insertion section of an endoscope, the bending section comprising:
 a first bending piece having a concave surface at a first end, and   a second bending piece having a convex surface at a second end,   wherein the concave surface contacts the convex surface;   each of the first and second bending pieces including a hole formed along a longitudinal axis of the bending section,   the first bending piece includes a first groove communicating with the hole, the first groove being open to an inner circumferential surface of the hole, and   the second bending piece:
 is disposed adjacent to the first bending piece along the longitudinal axis, and 
 includes a second groove open to an outer circumferential surface of the second bending piece, 
 wherein a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally, 
 wherein each of the first groove and the second groove extend an entirety of a first length and a second length of the first and second bending pieces, respectively, in a longitudinal axis direction of the bending section. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first groove includes, along the longitudinal axis, a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and an intermediate portion provided between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion, and   one of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion is formed deeper than the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         3 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second groove includes, along the longitudinal axis, a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and an intermediate portion provided between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion, and   one of the distal end portion or the proximal end portion is formed deeper than the intermediate portion.   
     
     
         4 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally, wherein the first groove and the second groove are formed such that a position in a radial direction of the bending wire is disposed further on the outer side of the radial direction in the second groove than in the first groove. 
     
     
         5 . The bending section according to  claim 4 , further comprising a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally,
 wherein the first groove and the second groove each include, along the longitudinal axis, a distal end portion, a proximal end portion, and an intermediate portion provided between the distal end portion and the proximal end portion, and   a position in the radial direction of the bending wire is disposed further on the outer side of the radial direction in the intermediate portion of the second groove than in the intermediate portion of the first groove.   
     
     
         6 . An insertion section for use with an endoscope, the insertion section comprising:
 a bending section comprising:
 a first bending piece having a concave surface at a first end, and 
 a second bending piece having a convex surface at a second end, 
   wherein the concave surface contacts the convex surface;   each of the first and second bending pieces including a hole formed along a longitudinal axis of the bending section,   the first bending piece includes a first groove communicating with the hole, the first groove being open to an inner circumferential surface of the hole, and   the second bending piece:
 is disposed adjacent to the first bending piece along the longitudinal axis, and 
 includes a second groove open to an outer circumferential surface of the second bending piece, wherein 
 a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally, 
 wherein each of the first groove and the second groove extend an entirety of a first length and a second length of the first and second bending pieces, respectively, in a longitudinal axis direction of the bending section. 
   
     
     
         7 . An endoscope comprising:
 the insertion section comprising the bending section according to  claim 1 ; and   a bending wire configured to bend the bending section.   
     
     
         8 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first bending piece comprises a plurality of first bending pieces;   the second bending piece comprises a plurality of second bending pieces; and   each of the plurality of first bending pieces is provided adjacent to each of the plurality of second bending pieces along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         9 . The insertion section according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the first bending piece comprises a plurality of first bending pieces;   the second bending piece comprises a plurality of second bending pieces; and   each of the plurality of first bending pieces is provided adjacent to each of the plurality of second bending pieces along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         10 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally, wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove is formed at a width substantially equal to an outer diameter of the bending wire. 
     
     
         11 . The bending section according to  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove is formed with a depth, in a radial direction, equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the bending wire. 
     
     
         12 . The insertion section according to  claim 6 , further comprising a bending wire disposed in each of the first groove and the second groove, the bending wire being configured to pivot the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece when the bending wire is pulled proximally, wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove is formed at a width substantially equal to an outer diameter of the bending wire. 
     
     
         13 . The insertion section according to  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove is formed with a depth, in a radial direction, equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the bending wire. 
     
     
         14 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove has a constant depth, in a radial direction, along a longitudinal axis direction. 
     
     
         15 . The insertion section according to  claim 6 , wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove has a constant depth, in a radial direction, along a longitudinal axis direction. 
     
     
         16 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first groove and the second groove has a length, in a longitudinal axis direction, equal to a length of the hole in the longitudinal axis direction. 
     
     
         17 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein the concave and convex surfaces slide relative to each other while in contact with each other to bend the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece. 
     
     
         18 . The insertion section according to  claim 6 , wherein the concave and convex surfaces slide relative to each other while in contact with each other to bend the first bending piece relative to the second bending piece. 
     
     
         19 . The bending section according to  claim 1 , wherein the concave and convex surfaces interlock such that the concave and convex surface contact with each other. 
     
     
         20 . The insertion section according to  claim 6 , wherein the concave and convex surfaces interlock such that the concave and convex surface contact with each other.